Well, we never know what a day…or week…will bring, do we? This has surely been a week for the books, as they say. Schools are closed, churches have had to go to online services, and people are fighting over toilet paper. Yep, you just can’t make these things up.
These past days made it difficult to figure out what I should write about today. Some people are very worried, aren’t sleeping and are truly scared of getting this nasty virus that is in our world. Others aren’t concerned at all and are going through each day just as they always have. Hopefully the majority of us are somewhere in between and are being diligent in making sure we do what is necessary to stay as healthy as possible.
I finally came to the conclusion that most people may just need something to smile about today. And what better way to accomplish that than to post a picture of an adorable 18-month-old in his grandma’s slippers
As I shared with you a few weeks ago, following our trip to Israel, I had the opportunity to care for my three grandsons, ages 1, 3 and 5, while their parents went to Israel for 13 days. I was so glad I was able to be there…but if I’m honest…I now know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is a reason why we have our children when we are young! I kept wondering the first few days why I was so exhausted each evening after I put them to bed. I mean, I raised three children and while I remember it being tiring, I sure didn’t remember it being this tiring. And then it hit me. Yes, I raised three children…but that was 30 years ago! This old body of mine sure ain’t what it used to be and I need to realize that some of my “get up and go”…has “gone up and went”!
In spending those days with my grandsons, I learned more about their likes and dislikes. One of the things I learned about Ezra, this precious boy wearing my slippers, is that he is a shoe-a-holic. He absolutely loves putting on other people’s shoes. Oftentimes it was just one shoe…so he would be stomping around the house with one shoe on and one shoe off…but just as happy as could be. It just brought him so much joy.
So, I want to share with you today just a few quick nuggets of inspiration that I thought of as I watched him parading around:
1. I need to find joy in the little things of life. If I wait until some big event happens…that I think will bring me great joy…I may miss some of the smaller “grin events” that occur every day.
2. I need to be willing to do things that may seem bigger than what I can handle. My slippers were so much bigger than Ezra’s feet…but he didn’t let that stop him. Even when he fell a couple times when the slippers got ahead of him…he still jumped right back up, grinned from ear to ear, and carried on. Obviously, he felt the joy of the moment was worth the temporary times of face-planting.
3. While I thoroughly enjoyed watching Ezra walk in my slippers, do I really want him walking in my shoes of life? In other words, if he decides to walk a similar path that I have walked in my life…would that be a good thing or would it be better if he chose a different path? I know I am being watched by him and his brothers, so are they seeing me live in a way that leads them to Jesus, or do my “steps” lead them on a path they shouldn’t follow? Hmmm…I may need to think about that for a while.
During these days of uncertainty, let’s be diligent in looking for those smaller “grin events” that may come our way. And then let’s see what we can do to send a “grin event” to someone else who may need to find a reason to smile.
I hope we are also willing to maybe step out of our comfort zone and do something that seems a little impossible. You may face something that will seem way bigger than you are capable of accomplishing, just like Ezra faced by much too large slippers. Sure, tackling the unexpected may cause us to face-plant once in a while, but I think in the end the joy will be worth the pain.
Finally, let us remember that we are being watched. Not just by our family…but there are others in our sphere of influence…who are watching to see how we are reacting to this current world event. If they see us freaking out and crying that the sky is falling…they may follow us down that same path…and we wouldn’t want to cause that route to be any more crowded than it already is
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10
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